The Tampa Bay Lightning are back in the driver’s seat. After dropping Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series at home against the New York Islanders, the Lightning struck back with consecutive wins to go 2-1 up. Can the Bolts complete the sweep in New York and put the Isles on the brink?
Read on below for our complete preview of Game 4 of this Eastern Conference series. And for more Stanley Cup action, check out our Game 5 previews of the Penguins vs. Capitals and Blues vs. Stars.
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Lightning vs. Islanders Game Four Round Two Preview
Where: Barclays Center, Brooklyn
When: Friday, May 6, 2016, 7:00 PM ET
Line: Tampa Bay Lightning (-110) vs. New York Islanders (-110); total: 5.0– view all NHL lines
TV Broadcast: NBCSN
Betting on the Tampa Bay Lightning
Seriously, how deep is this Tampa Bay Lightning team? Despite playing without their top scorer, Steven Stamkos, in these playoffs, the Lightning are still rolling along offensively. They’ve outshot the Islanders by 27 through the first three games of the series, and have scored 12 goals, nine coming in their two-straight wins. With those two wins, the Lightning are now -360 favorites to take the series.
Oh, and the line of Ondrej Palat, Nikita Kucherov and Tyler Johnson is still pretty good. The Triplets have combined for five goals and eight points thus far this series. With all that depth going forward, the Lightning shouldn’t have too many problems grabbing their share of goals.
The big question will be which Ben Bishop shows up. The Bolts’ netminder has been wobbly in two of the first three games against the Isles. He was yanked in Game 1 after giving up four goals in just 13 shots and surrendered four more goals in Game 3.
Bishop is the king of the bounce-back game, though. The Bolts are a perfect 10-0 in Bishop’s next start after he gives up four or more goals this season. That includes his rock-solid Game 2 performance, where he gave up just one goal and made 19 saves in a 4-1 Lightning win.
Betting on the New York Islanders
The Isles will be absolutely kicking themselves that they let Game 3 slip away. They were 4-3 up with less than a minute left in the third when they surrendered a back-breaking equalizer and eventually lost in overtime.
But despite that setback, the Isles showed just how tough they can be at home. They went 25-11-5 at home during the regular season. Meanwhile, three of their first four home playoff games have gone to overtime.
The Isles have been significantly outshot thus far in the series, but they narrowed the gap in Game 3 by firing 39 shots at Ben Bishop’s goal. Josh Bailey made quite an impact in his first game of the series. He had five shots and scored two goals.
Captain John Tavares has been held pointless in the last two games, but he’s too good to be kept quiet for much longer. He was amazing in the Panthers series, with five goals and nine points in six games.
The Isles certainly hope goalie Thomas Greiss can also get going at home. After having a terrific series against Florida, Greiss has struggled to keep Tampa Bay’s offense quiet. He’s given up 11 goals in 107 shots through the first three games. But despite his awful Game 3 (five goals on 41 shots), Greiss has been a better performer at home (14-4, 2.21 GAA, .926 SV% in the regular season).
The Isles must win Game 4 at home if their +280 odds to win the series have any shot to pay out.
Writer’s Prediction
Bishop bounces back once again as Tampa Bay (-110) takes Game 4, 4-2.
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